Kona Kampachi, a type of Hawaiian yellowtail raised in pens in the open ocean off the Kona Coast, has been rated as a "Good Alternative" by Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.

Kona Blue Water Farms, the only domestic producer of yellowtail, has worked with the Seafood Watch program to meet stringent criteria on environmental impacts and feed efficiencies, according to a news release from the company.

The rating is part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Initiative, a program designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. The Seafood Watch program has three rating categories, with "Good Alternative" occupying the middle spot. "Best Choice" is the top rating and "Avoid" is the bottom rating.

"We're very pleased to be rated as a 'Good Alternative' by Seafood Watch, the leader in fisheries and aquaculture sustainability evaluation," said Michael Wink, CEO of Kona Blue. "Our aspiration, however, is to be the first marine net pen farm to be rated as a 'Best Choice.' Our work with the Monterey Bay Aquarium has given us a clearer understanding of how we can improve on our sustainability standards to achieve our goal of a 'Green' rating."